Wednesday, June 14, 2006

JMO4Rep Update - June 2006

Friends, allies, and constituents -

There are less than two months left until the August 8 primary, so momentum is picking up in my re-election effort. The latest endorsements and opportunities are below as well as announcements about some important community meetings that I hope you'll help publicize -------

Canvas opportunity this Saturday

Volunteers from the Progressive Vote Coalition are going door-to-door for my campaign this Saturday morning, June 17, and you are welcome to join them. We will meet at 9:30 a.m. at the 9th Ward Democratic office, northwest corner of Arsenal and Lemp - use the rear entrance and park on the street, please.

I hope to receive the endorsement of the Eighth Ward Independent Democrats Association on Thursday evening, June 15. If you're an 8th Ward resident who is active in EWIDA, please be at St. Margaret of Scotland fellowship hall meeting to vote for me!

Financial SupportSince I do have a Democratic challenger, I need your financial help with my race. Checks may be mailed to Citizens to Elect Oxford, P. O. Box 19112, St. Louis, MO 63158, or use the PayPal link at www.jmo4rep.com to donate electronically. The present contribution limit is $325 per election cycle.

Police Department Civilian Residency HearingsThe Board of Police Commissioners has agreed to take public comment on the proposal to lift the residence requirement for civilian employees of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department. The first meeting will be June 21 at 7 p.m. at Life Lutheran School, 6535 Eichelberger, between Donovan and Jamieson. The July hearing will be at St. Raymond's Hall, 939 Lebanon, date and time TBA. The August hearing will be at the Tandy Center, 4206 W. Kennerly, date and time TBA. (I'll keep you posted as I learn more.)

St. Louis residents voted in support of City employees living in St. Louis City several years ago, but the Board of Police Commissioners granted exceptions to veteran police officers in 2005. Several state representatives, including myself, testified against that change as I continue to hear support for police residency at neighborhood associations in district. Please take advantage of this opportunity for public input.

Public Forum on Uninsured MissouriansThe Missouri Foundation for Health (MFH) is hosting a public forum about the problem of the uninsured in our communities. The forum is 5:30-7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 27, 2006, at the Harris-Stowe State University, Emerson Performance Center's Bank of America Theater, 3026 Laclede, St. Louis, MO 63103. To RSVP or to learn more, call Sharon Sharp or Damon Green at 800-655-5560 or 314-345-5500 (dgreen@mffh.org).

Governor to Sign Photo ID BillRepublican Gov. Matt Blunt is scheduled to sign the photo ID bill into law on Flag Day (June 14). Starting with the Nov. 7 general election, voters without a photo ID will be forced to cast a provisional ballot that might not be counted. As of November 2008, such voters will be prohibited from casting a ballot. The Secretary of State’s Office estimates that as many as 200,000 Missourians of voting age, mainly elderly, disabled, and minority voters, currently do not have driver’s license or state-issued non-driver’s ID card.

With less than five months until Election Day, House Minority Leader Jeff Harris, D-Columbia, says it is imperative for affected voters to begin the process of obtaining a photo ID. Because of a separate law that requires Missourians to produce documentation such as a birth certificate to get a driver’s license or state ID card, many residents whose birth records have been lost, destroyed or never existed have been forced to navigate a bureaucratic maze when renewing or obtaining such ID. The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services currently faces a six-month backlog in processing applications for replacement birth certificates.

Please do what you can to make sure elders and friends with disabilities of every race/ethnicity know they must have a photo ID to vote in November!